Closing arguments are on account of start within the nationwide safety trial of Jimmy Lai, 77, a fierce critic of China’s Communist Occasion.
United States President Donald Trump has renewed his promise to “save” jailed Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai, who’s on trial for alleged nationwide safety crimes over his pro-democracy activism and antipathy in the direction of China’s Communist Occasion.
“I’m going to do every thing I can to save lots of him. I’m going to do every thing … His identify has already entered the circle of issues that we’re speaking about, and we’ll see what we will do,” Trump advised Fox Information Radio within the US.
Trump’s remarks got here as closing arguments in Lai’s high-profile trial.
Closing arguments have been pushed from Friday to Monday after Lai’s lawyer mentioned he had skilled coronary heart palpitations.
The delay marks the second in as many days, after Hong Kong courts had been closed on account of dangerous climate.
Trump beforehand pledged to rescue Lai throughout an interview final October, simply weeks earlier than his election as president, and had mentioned he would “100% get him out”.
Lai is among the most distinguished Hong Kongers to be charged below the town’s draconian 2020 nationwide safety regulation, and his trigger has made worldwide headlines.
The 77-year-old is a longtime opponent of China’s Communist Occasion due to his possession of Apple Each day, a now-shuttered pro-democracy tabloid newspaper.
Thanks, President Trump, to your assist for Jimmy Lai at this important time.
“I’ll do every thing I can to save lots of [Jimmy Lai]. I’ll do every thing…His identify has already entered the circle of issues that we’re speaking about, and we’ll see what we will do. I… pic.twitter.com/EmscQHYQmX
— #FreeJimmyLai (@SupportJimmyLai) August 14, 2025
He’s going through two counts of “colluding with overseas forces” and a separate cost of sedition within the long-running nationwide safety trial that started in December 2023.
If discovered responsible, he may spend the remainder of his life in jail. He has all the time protested his innocence.
Lai was first arrested in 2020, simply months after Beijing imposed the brand new nationwide safety regulation on Hong Kong, which criminalised the town’s pro-democracy motion and categorised public protests as acts of secession, subversion and terrorism.
The regulation was later expanded in 2024 to incorporate additional crimes corresponding to espionage and sabotage.
Lai has been in detention constantly since December 2020 and is serving separate jail sentences for collaborating in a banned candlelight vigil and committing “fraud” on an workplace lease settlement.
He has spent greater than 1,600 days in solitary confinement, in line with the United Kingdom-based Hong Kong Watch, regardless of his age and well being issues.
Lai was additionally denied the lawyer of his selection throughout trial and entry to impartial medical care.
A verdict in his trial is predicted inside days.
